Trout and Ref Joe Cortez on SHOWTIME Team

NEW YORK (Oct. 18, 2012)—Undefeated WBA Super Welterweight Champion Austin Trout will take his skills to ringside for this Saturday’s SHOWTIME CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING® quadruple-header from Brooklyn’s brand new Barclays Center.

Trout, who is currently training for an upcoming title defense against superstar Miguel Cotto at Madison Square Garden on Dec. 1 on SHOWTIME, will serve as an expert analyst on Saturday. He will join host Brian Kenny, announcers Mauro Ranallo (blow-by-blow) and Al Bernstein (color commentary), ringside reporter Jim Gray and recently retired Hall of Fame referee Joe Cortez on the live SHOWTIME telecast beginning at 8 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

Trout will offer his observations from ringside for all four world championship fights on the historic, first-ever boxing event at Barclays Center. Cortez, the subject of a feature story in Wednesday’s New York Times (read here), will be on hand to offer the expertise that comes from being the third man in the ring for more than 3,000 fights during a distinguished 35-year career.

Said Trout, who’ll be making his broadcast debut, “I’m excited to step behind the microphone for a major card like this quadruple-header on SHOWTIME. Broadcasting is definitely something I would like to pursue in the future so I want to make the most of this opportunity. I know many of the guys on the card personally and that, along with my insight as an active fighter, will help me give the viewers a unique perspective on what they are seeing in the ring.”

Trout (25-0, 14 KO’s), of Las Cruces, N.M., is currently in training camp for the fourth defense of his crown, but the 25-year-old southpaw has personal ties to Brooklyn.

“My mother and grandparents grew up in Brooklyn, so I’m always excited to come here. It’s like coming home,” he said.

Before turning professional in September 2005, Trout was an elite-level amateur and competed alongside Danny Garcia, Devon Alexander and Daniel Jacobs. He captured the WBA belt with a unanimous decision win over Rigoberto Alvarezin February 2011.

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World championship boxing returns to Brooklyn with an inaugural night of fights at the new Barclays Center on October 20 headlined by Unified Super Lightweight World ChampionDanny “Swift” Garciaagainst future Hall of FamerErik “El Terrible” Moralespresented by Golden Boy Promotions and supported by Golden Boy Promotions sponsors Corona, DeWalt Tools and AT&T. In the co-featured attractions, Brooklyn’s ownPaulie “Magic Man” Malignaggiputs his WBA Welterweight World Championship on the line against hard-hittingPablo Cesar “El Demoledor” Cano, undefeated number one rated WBO middleweight contenderPeter “Kid Chocolate” Quillinof Manhattan takes on unbeatenHassan N’Damfor N’Dam’s WBO Middleweight World Championship andDevon Alexander “The Great”facesRandall Baileyfor Bailey’s IBF Welterweight World Championship in a bout presented in association with DiBella Entertainment. The SHOWTIME® CHAMPIONSHIP BOXING telecast begins live at 8:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast). Preliminary fights will air live on SHOWTIME EXTREME® beginning at 7:00 p.m. ET/PT (delayed on the West Coast).

The undercard is loaded with many of New York’s top fighters, including Brooklyn’s hot middleweight prospect Daniel “The Golden Child” Jacobs, former World Champion Luis Collazo, the Bronx’s rising star Eddie Gomez, former world title contender Dmitriy Salita and Brooklyn prospect Boyd Melson.

Tickets priced at $300, $200, $100 and $50 are available at www.barclayscenter.com, www.ticketmaster.com, the American Express Box Office at Barclays Center, all Ticketmaster locations or by calling 800-745-3000. Doors open at Barclays Center at 4:30 p.m. The first live fight is at 5:00 p.m.